# What does this Outlook Express error mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 5, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-outlook-express-error-mean/479943 "2009-01-05T15:02:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-outlook-express-error-mean/479943/1 "2009-01-05T15:02:36Z")
My boss is getting the following error message: Outlook Express experienced a serious error the last time the add-in c:\programfiles\mcafee\managedvirusscan\vcscan\otlkui.20080515085155.dll was opened. Would you like to disable this add-in? I’m trying to look it up to figure out what it means and how to fix, what to do now, etc. He’s run SpyBot, but can’t run Norton. He doesn’t use Express. He’s on an XP laptop. Any ideas/suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-outlook-express-error-mean/479943/2 "2009-01-05T15:17:13Z")
It looks like it’s tied in with your McAfee antivirus scanner. The file has been corrupted. I’d disable the add-in. To get it working again, reinstall McAfee. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-outlook-express-error-mean/479943/3 "2009-01-05T15:53:14Z")
[Here’s a thread](http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.public.outlook.general&tid=b57acf3b-48e1-45d0-b7b7-c1105dea47bf&cat=&lang=&cr=&sloc=&p=1) on the Microsoft help forum about that problem. The guy who is doing the answering seems quite sure about his answers, but the guy doing the fixing either doesn’t do it right or the problem can’t be fixed… But, perhaps a good place to start? ---
**Author:** ![Daerlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Daerlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daerlyn)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-outlook-express-error-mean/479943/4 "2009-01-05T19:05:16Z")
I am not your tech. This is not my computer. But what I’d do in this situation, to confirm that the error message is legit and not some kind of weird virus thing, is as follows: 1. Disconnect the computer from the network. Like, physically plug the network cable or turn off the wireless card. You do not want to be online for the next part, because: 2. Disable McAfee. Uninstalling is preferable, but only do this if you have access to the installation discs. 3. Open OE. See you get an error message again, and if so, is it the same one? (Ignore any error messages regarding network connectivity, cannot find mail servers, etc. This is because you’re not online.) If yes, and McAfee is disabled or uninstalled, this is probably not a legitimate error message - your boss has probably been hit by some weird malware. If no error appears, congratulations! It probably is McAfee. Reinstall cleanly and you should be fine. If a _new_ error appears, the problem is probably with OE being corrupted rather than McAfee, and it’s strictly coincidental that the corruption is affecting the part of OE that interacts with McAfee. In that case, back up your mailbox files and reinstall OE. I wouldn’t recommend getting the computer back on the 'net until you have McAfee reinstalled or reenabled. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-outlook-express-error-mean/479943/5 "2009-01-05T19:46:07Z")
OE? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-outlook-express-error-mean/479943/6 "2009-01-05T20:34:01Z")
> [@niblet\_head](#): > > OE? Um, er, Outlook Express. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-outlook-express-error-mean/479943/7 "2009-01-05T20:40:40Z")
Ah. We never use Outlook Express, so that one didn’t even occur to me! (Yeah, I know, the error message references Outlook Express, yet no connection was made in my niblet brain. Also, I need another cup of coffee.) Sharp as a tack, I tell ya. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-outlook-express-error-mean/479943/8 "2009-01-05T21:46:01Z")
Ok, boss had installed Norton 360 a few months back. I cannot uninstall it as he cannot logon to the internet. I cannot re-install Norton SystemWorks Standard Edition from the disc because it says I have to uninstall 360 first. But 360 seems to require being logged-on to the intranet… Yay, feedback loop. His wireless connection says he’s connected, but when I try to access IE it won’t connect. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-outlook-express-error-mean/479943/9 "2009-01-06T00:41:28Z")
Nevermind, I fixed the IE error and can logon now. Downloaded the Norton removal tool and am reinstalling now. \*\* Zipper\*\*, I did reset those files, thanks for the link. I hope this fixes his problem. Thanks for your help, all. As usual, you make me appear a genius.